Charlie is a warhorse in Glass and an old friend. He builds very nice furnaces and has tinkered with recuperation systems for years. I like what he puts together and a lot of other people must as well since frequently when I sell a crucible, more often than not, it is for one of Charlies' units. They are all over the northeast US. Check it out.
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These guys build Kanthal wire element furnaces. They are the most inexpensive thing out there I think although Thumb may have them beat.
I don't like wire element furnaces since the elements don't last very long. Their replacement elements are expensive and are better purchased from Duralite Inc Their replacement crucibles are better replaced by Engineered Ceramics ( moi!)
There are people who absolutely love these things and get very frosty when I pan them. I respect them and don't get it. So, they sell a lot of them every year so they must be doing something right.
So if you need a glass furnace that sells for about four Grand, give them a call. It's instant gratification. I just can't get excited.
As for the other equipment, I have looked at it but never used it. Maybe someone can give their polishing stuff a product review?
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Hub
690 Route 73
Orwell Vt 05161
802-948 2209
802-9482217 faxwww.hubglass.com
info@www.hubglass.com
HUB builds beautiful equipment. Every thing they do is excellent. Corning actually calls HUB when they want furnaces built. HUB will rent you his forms for casting furnaces if you don't have the cash for the completed product. Great stuff.
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Pine Ridge Enterprises
P.O. Box 121
Paradise CA 95967
Tom Ash
530-877-9793http://www.prburner.com/sales@prburner.com

This is the guy who makes the burner that I won't explain to anyone how they are made. You gotta buy one from Tom and cut it up. ( then buy another one when you find out how much trouble you just got into). They are very quiet, sturdy ribbon burners. I like them. For furnaces and gloryholes. Support small businesses.
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Wet Dog Glass
504-286-9529
504-283-9234 FAXwww.@wetdogglass.comhotstuff@wetdogglass.com
Eddie Bernard
Manufacturers of tank furnaces, pot and invested pot furnaces, gloryholes, pipe warmers. garages, yokes and other stuff. Also handles flame safety equipment. I have not ever dealt with these guys and would welcome a review.
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Abell Combustion

Custom designed combustion systems. Control and Safety systems for furnaces and Gloryholes.

Wet dog is great. Eddie has worked with Fred Metz of Spiral Arts for a few years now. He is an amazing fabricator, and it shows in the equipment he makes. He's also the Shop tech at New Orleans School of Glass.
The correct web aderess is....www.wetdogglass.com

Eben is right. Eddie builds first rate equipment. I have been doing business with him on and off for several years. When Fred quit making the "Spiral Arts" retention tip, Eddie took over production (with Fred's blessing).

I recently had a chance to visit with Eddie and his wife at their new shop (in New Orleans). They are great people.

If you need expertise in putting together a hot shop in a school or other public setting, Eddie is your man. He is expert in all the safety stuff that will make the "powers that be" happy. (Besides the NO School of Glass, Eddie has also done a lot of work at Tulane University, which, buy the way, has a great hot shop).

I have been using an Evenheat 1413 curcible kiln for over a year melting glass in a 38# EC crucible. it works great, and runs off of 15 Amps at 220/240 volt. I also have the GT22, which is a front loading annealer from Evenheat. Both kilns are equipped with Rampmaster II digital controlers.

Home of Morcocast refractories. Tom sells all sorts of stuff and specializes in buying out end runs when large furnaces are being built. His soft brick prices can't be beat on IFB26 and 28's. My favorite thing he sells is Morcocast 95, a 95% alumina castable made up fresh locally in very small quantities. It runs about 65 cents a lb which also makes it very inexpensive. I am about to try the Morocast 99 and will report back.

These guys build Kanthal wire element furnaces. They are the most inexpensive thing out there I think although Thumb may have them beat.

So if you need a glass furnace that sells for about four Grand, give them a call. It's instant gratification.

Denver makes three electric units, and they are all invested. One is a 60 lb capacity, the next is the unit I have used for the last 5 yrs, the EF 240 (130 lb capacity), then the larger unit that melts 200 lbs. I have found that the smaller unit runs through elements very quickly due to tight element windings and probably some watt loading issues. The thinking here on the part of the maker is that this is really a unit for the weekend warrior or hobbyist, so element life shouldn't matter too much (it should always matter folks).......except some people interested in using the smaller unit in a production studio find that they are having to change elements on a quarterly basis (I know a couple of people who did this and had to get rid of the unit since it was a bit like trying to get a lawn mower to do the job of a bush hog).

The two larger units don't have near the problems associated with element life. 9 months is not unusual. I recommend using the elements for the 200 lb unit in the 130 lb unit and sizing up the relay and the service at the panel. This will result in quicker melts, and temp rebounds after squeezing or idling. If I start charging at 3:00 p.m., I am finished by about midnight, ready to blow the next day.

Originally posted by Donovan Brooke Just for a comparison, I just paid $28.00 for 55 lb bags of Mizzou at Hi Temp... However, I'm sure that $1.15 can easily be saved in shipping if you are closer to Jay's resource.

Donovan

For me it's great because it only takes me about 45 min to get there so no shipping.
Jay.

Hi Pete. There's a new technology for glass blowing, instead of recuperation I opted for heat exchangers in cascade fashion to use all the heat. 6 pieces of gear from 1. 11/2" burner & 20 amps.http://www.pozible.com/index.php/archive/index/5706
Website coming soon, these are a DIY build, with online support.

Hi Pete. There's a new technology for glass blowing, instead of recuperation I opted for heat exchangers in cascade fashion to use all the heat. 6 pieces of gear from 1. 11/2" burner & 20 amps.http://www.pozible.com/index.php/archive/index/5706
Website coming soon, these are a DIY build, with online support.

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I would note here that this post is the only one in the thread which is recommended by the guy who made the equipment. The other posts are all recommendations from actual users of the equipment recommended. To me, that's worth noticing.

I think these guys deserve a mention here. Chuck and Pete run the show at Mobile Glassblowing Studios making a great range of small 'Dragon' furnaces, as well as some light duty ovens and other kit for the glass nomad. I've been running their Little Dragon furnace for over a year and have no complaints with it. Check out their full line at http://www.mobileglassblowingstudios.com/

I am always happy to see good equipment placed in the spotlight here. Beware of trying to con anyone though. More than a few Charlatans have seen the downside of making wild claims.

What we need is solid engineering, good welds, fair prices and a help line. I like to see equipment that has been in service at least one year with references from actual users. I've continually heard good things about mobile glass studios.

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